Google Voice minutes?

[qoncept]

I was wondering how your minutes are used when using Google Voice. I know with my Blackberry app, behind the scenes it is dialing my google voice number and then basically conferencing in the other person I'm calling. I never concerned myself with it because the Blackberry app is such a pain to use that I never did. That's the single biggest reason I'm getting a Droid.

So how does it work on Droid? Still dialing the same way? Charging me minutes no matter who I'm calling? If I add the number to my Friends and Family list, will all of my calls be free all the time? Will they let me add it to my F&F list (I see something about "eligible numbers") ?

 

[tommy]

Hmm... I thought Google Voice calls went over data network and didn't use my minutes, but after reading your post I looked at my account and I was wrong. It is dialing a local number like you describe and most certainly is using my minutes.

Uh oh, maybe I will have to upgrade to the 900 minute plan so I can get Friends and Family.

 

[adam8ch]

There is a way to make free VOIP calls if you set up sipDroid and get a Gizmo5 account. You have to set up sipDroid w/ your Gizmo5 number, then have google voice forward calls to your Gizmo5 number only. If you make calls from the google voice website using the Quick Call feature, Gvoice(not the app) will dial your gizmo5 number and then connect you to whoever called.

 

[JhankG]

There is a way to make free VOIP calls if you set up sipDroid and get a Gizmo5 account. You have to set up sipDroid w/ your Gizmo5 number, then have google voice forward calls to your Gizmo5 number only. If you make calls from the google voice website using the Quick Call feature, Gvoice(not the app) will dial your gizmo5 number and then connect you to whoever called.

Didn't Google just buy Gizmo5 for somewhere around 30 mil in cash?

 

[qoncept]

I'll find out tomorrow if they let me use the number for F&F. If not, I'll check out adam's workaround and see if it's a pain to use. Google Voice seems cool but there's something making me say "nope!" every step of the way.

 

[adam8ch]

There is a way to make free VOIP calls if you set up sipDroid and get a Gizmo5 account. You have to set up sipDroid w/ your Gizmo5 number, then have google voice forward calls to your Gizmo5 number only. If you make calls from the google voice website using the Quick Call feature, Gvoice(not the app) will dial your gizmo5 number and then connect you to whoever called.

Didn't Google just buy Gizmo5 for somewhere around 30 mil in cash?

Yup. I suspect theyre going to be turning GVoice into a full fledged voip service, as opposed to just a call forwarding/sms service.

 

[qoncept]

If you make calls from the google voice website using the Quick Call feature, Gvoice(not the app) will dial your gizmo5 number and then connect you to whoever called.

Just read this through a little better.. that's even more of a pain than what I had to do with Blackberry. Looks like if they won't let me call my GV number for free I won't be using it. What a bust.

 

[adam8ch]

Gonna do some research on how the "Dialing w/ Google Voice" works in regards to minutes usage.

Specifically if you "dial w/ google" what number it considers you dialing, your gvoice #, the gvoice call center, or the actual person you are trying to reach. If it is your gvoice number, as qoncept posted, you could just set your gvoice # for Friends and Family and get free dialing.

Regarding setting up sipdroid to make your phone have voip capabilities. Its remarkably easy. Takes about 5 minutes. Making calls via the browser is also really easy. Just bookmark the google voice webpage.

 

[qoncept]

I hadn't thought of that.. I was thinking I'd need to be at a computer to make the calls. Doh. I still don't think I'd really use it though. On Blackberry you couldn't make a call from your call log, you'd have to go back to the GV app and dial from there which just wasn't convenient. Once I get the phone (tomorrow or I'll be grumpy) I'll play with it.

 

[adam8ch]

I figured out how your minutes get used up when you "call with google voice."

When you enable google voice calls, if you look at the call screen right when you make the call you will notice a message at the top that says "Google Voice Calling through: +1234567890" or something like that. This number is a routing center where they transfer your call from.

The minutes on your plan will show up as being used calling the call center, as opposed to your google voice number, or any other number.

So if you want to set your gvoice number as Friends and Family you have to use some other method to get free calls.

 

[smin41]

I have my it set up so the number google voice dials to connect to there servers I saved as one of my circle numbers on "my verizon" page. Now I can make unlimited free calls anytime I want. I love Google Voice!! works so great on my Droid

 

[dbillett1]

In addition how does the IN minutes work with google voice? I use about 4000 IN minutes monthly talking to my friends and I send about 3000 IN network texts, all of which are currently free. Will these calls not count as IN minutes with Google Voice? That would get ugle for my friends and I. The Google Voice app is useless if these calls and texts do not count as IN network.

What a shame that would be, the Google Voice app is the single best reason to get a droid.

 

[qoncept]

I'm not sure what IN is, is that the same thing as friends and family? Looks like all my calls, in and out, are showing up in my billing as my GV number. Add that and you should be good. Texts seem to be doing that too.

 

[dbillett1]

IN minutes are also known as "m2m" or mobile to mobile calling. Verizon plans offer free unlimited m2m or IN minutes for all customers.

My friends and I rely on the m2m calling. We have 450 minute plans, so we are excluded from the friends and family (which are only on plans with 900 minutes or more).

So there is a huge implication for Verizon customers who take advantage of the free m2m network calling when using Google Voice. If these calls and texts do not count as m2m calls and texts, there are going to be lots of ticked off people who suddenly get huge phone bills from using Google Voice!

To give you an example. Where I work suddenly stopped allowing cell phones in the building. So I began forwarding my cell phone to my work phone before going into work everyday. Forwarded calls do not count as m2m calls on the Verizon network. The first month I was hit with a $400 phone bill for going over my plan minutes. AND one of my close friends got hit with a $300 phone bill for calling me, and another friend was hit with a $200 bill, even though they were not aware I was forwarding my cell to my work phone. It was an easy $900 for Verizon that month.

So again, there is a HUGE implication for people who use Google Voice if the calls and texts through it do not count as m2m. Not just for the person using Google Voice, but for ALL the other Verizon people they call.

So watch your monthly allowance minutes if you are using Google Voice.

 

[dukelx2005]

i downgraded from unlimited minutes to 900 with friends and family added my google voice number an now have unlimited minutes again cause everyone calls my google voice number